🇨🇳🪙 China Court Rules Bitcoin is Property Despite Crypto Ban A court in Qingdao, China, has set a major legal precedent by ruling that cryptocurrency is protected under theft laws, despite the country's sweeping 2021 ban on digital assets. The court handed a defendant a 10-year and 9-month prison sentence, along with a 100,000 yuan fine, for stealing 107 BTC. • The Inside Job: In 2023, the defendant was helping an acquaintance cash out a stash of 117 $BTC. He secretly memorized a portion of the wallet's seed phrase, reconstructed the missing pieces, and successfully drained the funds - eventually liquidating over $97,000 from the stolen crypto. • Property vs. Legality: While China strictly outlaws cryptocurrency transactions, prosecutors successfully argued that digital assets still legally constitute private property and are protected under standard theft laws. A sharp reminder that while Beijing might ban crypto trading, it will absolutely still throw you in a cell for stealing it. ⚖️🔒 #Bitcoin #CryptoNews #ChinaLaw